


The Dog Walker

by Nowl



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dogwalker!Eren, Genderfluid!Eren, Heterochromiac!Eren, Levi works in a sex toy store, M/M, eren's parents are shitty, just go with it, like everyone but Mikasa has a dog, sorry - Freeform, you can imagine where that's going eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-20
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-02-05 10:34:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1815424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nowl/pseuds/Nowl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren walks dogs for a living.<br/>He also identifies as a girl sometimes.<br/>Also, his best friend is a dog.<br/>And he toooootally doesn't have a huuuuuge crush on his newest client, Levi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The pronoun change toward the end? is on purpose ((I just wanted to warn you so you don't get hella confused))

Eren straps on his helmet on his way down the stairs to his front door. His dog, a grey and white Pitbull named Abba, sits on the floor beside the step where he’s sitting, waiting patiently for her leash to be put on. Eren sits with her leash on his lap while he puts on his roller blades. “Ready girl?” he asks, petting his overgrown puppy.

She wags her tail happily while Eren attaches her leash and leads her to the door. When they get outside, Eren is very happy to see the sun high in the sky and the weather warm. “Okay Abba,” he says. “We have to do all three sets today, you ready?”

Abba wags her tail and jogs beside her brunette owner happily while he roller blades down the sidewalk. Eren is glad she liked him so much early on, it made her easy to train which, in turn, makes his job much easier. He’s been the dog walker for their neighborhood since he got laid off from his job training dogs and bathing pets at the local training school.

The ‘sets’ he mentioned are the three different groups he takes for walks since he can’t take them all at once. In the first set is Armin’s Pomeranian, Fluffy, Annie’s German Sheppard, Hercules, Berthoult and Reiner’s Poodle, Dio, Erwin’s Yorkshire Terrier, Precious, and Ymir and Historia’s Shih Tzu, Cupcake.

Abba waits patiently at every house while Eren stops to chat and pick up each dog on his route. Once they’re finally moving around the usual route, Abba takes up the job of helping to keep the other dogs from doing anything bad like walking between Hercules and Dio so they don’t snap at each other.

When the first route is done, Eren takes those dogs home and he and Abba go to pick up the second group of dogs; Connie’s Bulldog, Meatloaf, Sasha’s Chihuahua, Potato, and Ms. Hanji’s Black, Yellow, and Chocolate Labs: Charcoal, Jasmine, and Coffee.

This route is usually a little harder because Hanji’s dogs like to run and Potato can never keep up when they try, so Abba usually tries to cut them off and keep them going slow so Eren doesn’t have to fight with them himself.

After he takes those dogs home, Eren skates a little slower toward the homes of the third set of dogs. “We have a new pair joining us today Abba,” he says.

She looks at him curiously.

“A Doberman and a Corgi, think you can handle that?”

She yips at him in affirmation.

He leans forward slightly to hand her a treat and pet her head. “Their owner sounded a little touchy on the phone but you’re always on your best behavior, right?”

She keeps walking by his side obediently, as if to prove his point.

“We’re actually a few minutes ahead of schedule if you want to take a break and drink some water first.”

Abba looks up at him and kind of nods to when they get to the corner, both of them sit down and Eren cracks open his water bottle, taking a drink first before holding his bottle out to pour some for Abba. “Good girl,” he says, petting her.

She lays down beside him, panting quietly.

“Hot Abba?”

She huffs and Eren chuckles, petting her some more. The third set of dogs was usually easy; Marco’s Dachshund, Weenie, Jean’s Dalmatian, Killer, and Mike and Nanaba’s Golden Retriever, Maxie. But he didn’t know what to expect with two new dogs in the mix, especially since he’s never met a Doberman that’s liked him. He sighs, leaning back. Abba looks at him curiously.

“Nothing, girl,” he says, giving her head a pat. She rests her head on his knee and he smiles at her. “Ready to get moving again?”

She’s back up immediately so Eren gets up too. The new dogs live closest to wear they are so they head there first. Abba sits when he knocks on the door.

He hears the dogs inside but he doesn’t hear anyone so he knocks again. “Coming!” he hears a shout from inside.

“Hi, I’m –“ he begins to say, but he freezes up when he sees the person on the other side of the door.

“The dog walker?” the gorgeous man replies, a bored expression on his face. Eren notes absently that he has a gruff way of speaking. “Sorry, I was in the shower and lost track of time.”

The man, Levi, Eren remembers his name is, is shorter but _way_ hotter than he expected, even soaking wet. His black hair is slicked back with water, small drops dripping down his face and chest, beneath his black satin robe. “Yeah,” Eren drawls, having completely lost his train of thought. He can feel his ears heating up. “I’m here for your dogs.”

“Saint! Magic! C’mere”

A pair of dogs run up behind Levi happily, he kneels to pet them and put on their leashes. “Be good,” he tells them. “I’d rather not have to apologize to this guy just because one of you was being bad.”

Levi hands over the leashes to Eren. “The big guy is Saint,” he gestures to the tall Doberman before crossing his arms. “He’s usually pretty calm so he shouldn’t be a problem. The little brat is Magic.” Eren looks at the tiny Corgi. “She isn’t even a year old yet so she might be some trouble but she usually follows Saint’s lead so she _shouldn’t_ be a pain but I wanted to warn you.”

Eren kneels so he’s eye level with them. “Hi there,” he says. “You ready to come with me?”

Saint walks out obediently but Magic looks at Levi. “Go,” he tells her. “I’ll be here when you get back.”

She looks up at Saint before walking outside. “Thanks,” Levi says.

“The walk should be over in about an hour,” Eren says.

“Alright,” Levi replies and looks at his dogs. “See you later.”

Eren doesn’t realize until Abba pulls on her leash that he’d frozen himself there. “Sorry girl,” he says and they leave the house.

On the way to Marco’s house, he finds that Saint _is_ very well behaved and Magic is too, though Eren suspects that that’s probably just because she’s scared. Abba is as mindful as she always is to be kind to the newcomers, making sure she doesn’t even get close to stepping on Magic and staying out of Saint’s way.

Eren picks up the other dogs; Saint doesn’t like Killer at all and Weenie keeps almost walking into Magic because he wants to be friends with her. Although it isn’t very long before Saint and Abba start walking on either side of her so the others leave her alone.

After the long walk, it’s just Eren with the three of them again. He and Abba are both tired but Saint and Magic are both too busy enjoying being without the extra dogs. Magic actually finally stops walking with her tail between her legs. “You two seem to be in better moods,” Eren says.

Magic looks up at him, wagging her tail, and yips at him happily.

Saint just looks at him and keeps walking, but Eren knows he’s not mad or anything.

When they finally get to Levi’s house, Eren knocks, but like before there is no answer. Eren looks down at Saint. “Does your owner always avoid answering the door?”

Saint snorts just as the door swings open. Eren is taken again by just how attractive the raven is. He wishes absently that the shorter man were still fresh out of a shower instead of wearing black dress slacks and a half-buttoned, white dress shirt. He feels his ears heat up like before.

Eren hands over the leashes but Magic still stands by Eren’s feet. “Go ahead sweetheart, you have to go home now,” Eren says.

Magic whimpers and licks his ankle before going in the house. “Wow,” Levi says.

“Hm?” Eren replies, swapping Abba’s lease to his other hand where it’s more comfortable.

Levi takes the leashes off his dogs. “Magic usually hates everyone except me and Saint.”

Eren shrugs. “Dogs are usually hit or miss with me, she must be a hit.”

Levi eyes him for a moment, then smirks, making Eren’s cheeks warm. “I’ll see you tomorrow, kid,” he says.

Eren smiles and waves before skating to the sidewalk to go home, not saying a word because he doesn’t trust what his voice might do, but glancing back just as Levi was closing the door. He could swear Levi winked at him as the door was closing. Halfway home, Abba looks up at Eren knowingly.

“Shut up,” Eren says. “So what if I think he’s hot?”

Abba barks a noise that Eren translates as, “I know what you want from him.”

“You don’t even know about what humans like about other humans, you don’t get to have an opinion, okay?”

Back home, it’s only two in the afternoon. Eren takes off his helmet and roller blades before detaching Abba’s leash and walking inside. Up the stairs is their tiny apartment, not that Eren minds since he doesn’t need much and it’s only the two of them. He likes it so much, in fact, that he doesn’t even mind that much that it doesn’t have heat or air conditioning.

It has a lot of big windows that let in tons of natural light, the kitchen is bigger than his bedroom and the bathroom combined, and he’s the only one in the building so he’s happy to be there.

Abba gets comfortable on the recliner on the living room while Eren goes to take out the contact he wears to cover his weird eye. He was born with one green eye and one gold-brown eye so since middle school he’s always worn one contact to cover to the green one so people don’t stare at him. However, even after all these years, it’s uncomfortable to wear so he only covers it when he leaves the house.

When he’s done he washes his hands and walks to the kitchen. “You want some chicken for lunch Abba?” he asks.

She yips a happy noise.

“Alright,” he replies, taking leftovers from the refrigerator.

He breaks up a leftover chicken breast for Abba. He microwaves it quickly before taking out leftover macaroni and cheese for himself and heating that up too. He put the plate of chicken on the floor for Abba while he sits down to watch TV and eat his mac and cheese. He loves his morning walks with the dogs but they’re always terribly exhausting so he’s glad he doesn’t have work tonight.

“What do you want to do tonight Abba?” he asks. She looks up from her chicken, already half gone. “Do you wanna –“

Just then, Eren’s phone rings. A landline, since he can’t afford a cell phone yet.

“Hello?” he asks.

“Hey Eren,” Marco says, Eren can hear the smile in his voice.

“Hey Marco,” he replies. “What’s up?”

“A group of us are going out tonight, you wanna come?”

“Who’s the group?”

“Me and Jean, Reiner, Armin, Historia, and Annie.”

“Reiner and Annie but no Berthoult?”

“He has to go up to see his mom tonight.”

Eren makes a face. Berthoult’s parents have been against his polyamorous relationship with Reiner and Annie since the three of them started dating each other in high school. The two of them absolutely refuse to visit the triad’s house or see Reiner or Annie outside of an obligatory event. Eren thought it was total bullshit but given his own parents he kind of has a biased opinion.

“So I should expect to help Annie get Reiner home tonight?”

“You’ll come?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Great!” Marco cheers. “Meet us outside of The Lux by eight-thirty.”

“The Lux?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Isn’t that place a little… raunchy, for us?”

“Yeah but Ymir’s bartending so Historia needs someone to hang out with.”

“Ah.”

“Oh yeah, and could you call Mikasa to ask her if she wants to come? She won’t answer Jean.”

“Sure thing.”

“Thanks, see you later Eren.”

“Bye.”

Eren hangs up and dials Mikasa.

“Hello?” she answers first ring.

“Hey,” Eren replies. “Marco wants to know if you wanna go out with us tonight.”

“Out where?”

“The Lux, Ymir’s bartending tonight.”

“Sounds fun,” she says. “What time you want me to pick you up?”

“Marco wants us there by eight-thirty so be here by eight?”

“Alright, see you.”

“Later.”

Eren puts down his phone and looks at Abba. “Sorry girl, looking like I’m going out tonight.” She uses her nose to nudge the back of Eren’s hand in response. “Oh, is that your way of kicking me out? I guess we do spend a lot of time together, huh?”

Five and a half hours until Mikasa is coming. Eren debates going to look for an outfit now, he’s always been picky about clothes for going out; clothes and food are the only two indulgences he ever allows himself on his limited budget, after all. He goes to look in his closet before looking back at Abba. “I think I’m feeling like a lady tonight Abba,” he says. “What do you think?”

She gets up and tugs on the sleeve of Eren’s favorite dress with her teeth.

Eren smiles. “A lady I am then.”

The dress stopped about mid-thigh on him and was completely fitted. It was black with long sleeves but entirely made of lace so he always wore another dress underneath. Tonight, the dress underneath would be a hot pink one with a sweetheart neckline that was _just_ shorter than the black one.

He laid it out on his bed before going to take a shower and shave, especially his legs since it’s been over a week since he’s done those. When he gets out he blow-dries his hair back so his bangs are out of his face and glues on fake eyelashes.

When he’s done with that, he puts on sweatpants and sits down to give himself a mini manicure and pedicure. After he was _positive_ they are dry, he gets up to make dinner for himself (a Portobello mushroom sandwich) and leaves out a bowl of kibble for Abba to eat.

After they’ve both eating, he sits down to relax for a little bit.

At six-thirty he gets up to put on makeup. As a kid he was always really glad to have dark, tan skin because it meant he didn’t get sunburn as easily as other people (namely Armin) and it made him look a little different from other people at school (most others were either lighter or much darker than him). It was only after he started wearing makeup that he realized how annoying it was to be in the middle.

Shopping for cheap bronzer was more annoying than he expected. He had to find a place that sells Covergirl Queen because the bronzer made for paler girls was so light it just blended in with his skin. Thankfully that’s the only makeup he has a problem shopping for. Once all his makeup’s on, she finally really _feels_ like she looks like a girl.

By seven-fifteen she’s getting dressed. She ties herself into her cincher before putting on stockings and her dress. It’s only then she realizes she’s not sure what shoes and jewelry she wants to wear.

“Abba!” she calls.

Abba trots in and looks up at her.

“Which shoes do you think I should wear, girl?”

The dog walks into Eren’s closet and pulls out a pair of hot pink spike heels she forgot she had. “Oh!” she exclaims. “Thank you Abba.” She pets her and presses her cheek on her forehead briefly before standing back up to step into the heels.

Abba goes and lays on Eren’s bed while she goes through his jewelry.

Eren only slips in a pair of black rhinestone earrings before looking in the mirror. “I think I look pretty fabulous,” she says, smiling at herself. She looks at the clock; 7:45. “Right on time,” she says.

She takes a deep breath and sits down with Abba to wait for Mikasa. She stares up at the ceiling. “Do you think I waste too much time on myself Abba?”

Abba looks up at her and cocks her head.

“I just wasted like five hours just getting ready to go out,” she says. “That just sounds really shallow in my head I guess.”

A moment later, Abba perks up and then runs to the door. Eren gets up to follow her. A moment later there’s a knock on the door, Eren smiles and opens it to find Mikasa on the other side. “Hey!” she says excitedly.

Mikasa smiles and then fixes her eyes on Eren’s. “You forgot your contact,” She say.

“Oh shit,” Eren says and rushes to the bathroom. “Sorry, I’ll only be a minute.”

She glares at her reflection, pissed off she has to put it in with her makeup already on. “You don’t _have_ to wear it, you know,” Mikasa says.

“I know, but I want to,” Eren replies.

Once it’s in she turns to smile at her sister. “Ready,” she says.

Mikasa is wearing her hair back in a high, braided bun with her bangs in her face, red lipstick, _incredibly_ tight black jeans, and a red peplum top with spaghetti straps and a deep v neck that shows off _all_ her cleavage. As her brother, Eren wants her to put on a shirt that covers more, but as her sister she’s just hoping Mikasa doesn’t comment on how short her skirt is.

Mikasa twirls her keys on her finger. “Let’s go.”

Eren says goodbye to Abba and follows Mikasa outside. As they get into Mikasa’s car, she asks, “Why haven’t you gotten a car yet, Eren?”

“No money,” she replies.

“Still, I know you get paid really well for dog walking, plus you help Shadis, Hannes, and Pixis with training and grooming on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays so I _know_ you have money, where’s it all going?”

“To mom and dad.”

“Still?”

Eren nods. “Last dad told me, I still owe them twelve thousand.”

Mikasa shakes her head. “Why did you decide to do this Eren?”

“Because I wanna be allowed to be myself,” she replies. “And dad’s not above _finding_ a reason to sue me if I’m not doing what he wants. It sucks but it’s easier for me just give them the damn money so he’ll leave me alone.”

“I still think it’s bullshit he wants you to pay him back for all the money they’ve ever spent on you.”

“Did I tell you he even included –“

“Hospital costs from when you were born and presents from all your birthdays and Christmases? Mom mentions it every time I see her.”

Eren sighs and leans on the door. “At least it’s only twelve thousand left.”

Mikasa sighs. “Are you going to talk to them anymore when you’re done?”

“Not dad.”

“What about mom?”

“I don’t know. She doesn’t accept me any more than dad does. The only difference is she doesn’t say it out loud.”

“I think if either of them believed asexuality were real they would hate me too.”

Eren frowns at her and then sighs. “I like to think you’re wrong, but the fact that they don’t believe that asexuality is a legitimate thing tells me you’re not.”

They’re quiet for a long moment. “Anyway, we need to have fun, not be upset,” she says.

“Yeah,” Eren says, putting on a smile as Mikasa successfully and expertly parallel parks half a block away from The Lux.

They both get out of the car and Eren tugs her dress back down so her butt isn’t hanging out. Mikasa chuckles at her. “You okay there?” Mikasa asks.

“Shut up,” Eren frowns.

They walk up outside the club to see Marco and Jean already waiting. “Hey guys,” Marco says, grinning.

Jean elbows Marco. “Hey _ladies_ ,” he says.

Eren rolls her eyes. “He was using it as a neutral term Jean,” she says.

“Where’s your purse Eren?” Marco asks.

“Don’t need one,” she shrugs. “My house key and my money are tucked into my useless bra.”

He laughs as Eren notices Armin running up. “I’m not late am I?” he asks.

“No,” Mikasa replies. “Annie and Reiner aren’t even here yet.”

Armin smiles and sighs in relief. “You look nice tonight Eren,” he says.

“Thank you,” Eren replies with a smile.

They all turn heads when they finally see Annie’s electric blue Corvette speed down the road. She parks quickly and both of them get out, Reiner looking queasy at Annie’s driving. Tonight, Annie is wearing her hair down tonight with a tight, black dress and her leather biking jacket with above-the-knee high boots. “Hey,” she says.

Reiner is right behind her, still looking uncomfortable.

Eren punches his shoulder. “You alright there, big guy?”

“Yeah,” he replies easily. “Can we go it and sit down now?”

Jean snorts. “You big lightweight, c’mon.”

As they walk inside, Eren smiles as the loud music shakes her from the inside. She doesn’t like all the people. She doesn’t like the intense smell of alcohol. She doesn’t really even like the way the music sounds. But what she doesn’t like is the way the music makes her _feel_. The bass sinks into her and pulls her out of herself. Before she had sex for the first time, she wanted it to feel like this. Real sex was just as overwhelming, just not in a good way like this is.

The others all gravitate to the bar but she wanders onto the dance floor, shimmying and bouncing to the music.

She’s so into the music, she’s unaware of the eyes on her and the hands creeping closer. She doesn’t panic or move away when a stranger comes over and starts grinding on her. She sinks into it, grinding her ass back slightly, moving her hips even move.

When the man grips her hips, she’s immediately pulled out of the moment. The touch wouldn’t have bothered her, but it was more of a _grab_ than anything, more possessive than she was willing to allow. When the man starts breathing down her neck and kissing her nape, she knows she has to get away. When she tries to pull away, his grip tightens.

She begins to panic.

She can’t see any familiar faces and the only people who look at her, look away again immediately. She can feel him pushing the back of her dress up with her hips and she wants to throw up at the feeling. She almost screams when –

“Hey!”

Suddenly the man is off her and her back feels bare. She turns slowly to see the man pressed against the nearby wall by a shorter man, the shorter man’s forearm pressing into the man’s throat harshly.

“Apologize!” the short man shouts at him.

Eren takes a step over.

“The bitch shouldn’t have been such a fucking tease if she didn’t want it.”

Eren realizes immediately that the man’s been drinking. She bites her lip and walks over, she touches the shorter man’s shoulder. “I’m alright, okay? You can let him go.”

The short man looks at her and she freezes. The other man walks away and everyone around them returns to what they were previously doing. But Eren is frozen, she feels her ears heat up. “Are you sure you’re alright?” the man asks. “You sure didn’t look alright.”

She just stares. He’s even hotter under the all the strobe and black light.

“Hello?” he asks when she doesn’t answer.

“I uh, yeah,” Eren says, blushing full on. “I’m fine.”

“Good,” he says and smirks. “Can’t have my new dog walker unable to do their job tomorrow morning. Can I buy you a drink?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long -.-  
> I've been spending most of my time furiously preparing for Otakon this Thursday so I've been busy. Hopefully after the con I'll have time to update this more faithfully :)

Eren has never felt so self-conscious in her entire life.

In all the time she’s spent moving between looking like whatever gender she feels like, she’s never had someone she’s attracted to recognize her so readily so soon after they first met. Even as she sits with Levi, tipsy from the rum and coke she downed right after they sat down, she’s tugging at the hem of her dress like it’s too short. “Is dog walking all you do?” Levi asks.

“No,” Eren replies, switching which leg she has crossed over which. “Sometimes I help out at the local pet salon or do other stupid odd jobs for friends; mowing lawns, shoveling snow, you know.”

“Never went to college then? Or did you go for something you haven’t found work in yet?”

Eren looks down into her second drink of the night thoughtfully. “Never went. Wanted to, I just couldn’t pay for it.”

Levi makes a face, sipping at his bourbon. “That sucks.”

“Well, what about you?” Eren asks. “What do you do?”

Levi smirks, almost chuckling, like he’d been expecting that. “I’m an entrepreneur, I own a few local businesses.”

“Ooo, a businessman,” Eren smiles. “What kinds of businesses?”

“Well, I co-own a toy store with one of my best friends, I own one toy store on my own, and I co-own a bank with one of my other best friends.”

“Two best friends?”

“Well, they’re my only friends who talk to me regularly. I do have two better friends than those two but they live pretty far away.”

Levi takes another sip of his drink so Eren misses the lonely look he thinks might be in his eyes. “Which bank and toy stores, I might have gone to one,” Eren says.

“The toy store I co-own is called Zoe’s Place –“

“Zoe?” Eren gasps. “You mean Hanji? Her dogs are on my walking route every day, I love her!”

Levi chuckles at Eren’s obvious enthusiasm. “Her dogs are maniacs,” he says.

Eren nods, grinning, “That’s why I always have Abba with me, she’s pretty good at keeping the others in line.”

“Abba’s that Pitbull you had this morning?”

Eren nods, taking a quick swig of her drink. “My pride and joy.”

“Did you get her from a breeder or was she a rescue?”

Eren smiles. “I found her in a park actually. I was walking one day and there she was, all alone hiding in a bush. She kind of appeared right when I needed her.”

Levi eyebrows furrow. “What do you mean?”

“Just, the only thing I needed when I found her was a friend and I got one.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Well, she just turned three so about two years and a couple months ago, give or take. It feels like we’ve been together forever.”

“And her name, is there a particular reason that’s it?”

Eren chuckles. “Funny story, the only thing I had in that way of music at that particular time was an old cassette player and when I found her, I was listening to my Abba one. As memory serves, I was listening to _The Winner Takes It All_ wishing I was listening to the version from the _Mamma Mia!_ movie.”

Levi smiles. “You’re an interesting person Eren,” he says.

She blushes. “You think so? I think I’m a little boring.”

“Oh no, you’d know if I was bored.”

Eren smiles at the older man.

“You wanna get out of here?” Levi asks.

Eren blinks at him. “And go where? I have work in the morning.”

“Me too, I just feel like driving somewhere. You don’t have to, but company would be nice.”

Eren thinks about this for a moment. This man is essentially a stranger, she’s only just met him today after all. But he did kind of rescue her from that creep earlier and he doesn’t seem like he’ll do anything creepy. “Can I borrow your phone to text my sister?”

“Can you just go find her?” he asks, handing Eren his phone.

“I could but then she’d try to talk me out of leaving and I never get to have adventures.”

Eren types in Mikasa’s number and types a quick text, _Hey it’s Eren. I’m leaving with someone else so I don’t need a ride home. I’m texting from the guy’s phone so you have his number. Call you when I get home._

She slides off the stool as she sends the message and hands Levi his phone as they walk outside. “Did you leave your phone at home?” Levi asks as they walk to his car.

“I don’t have one actually,” she replies. “I have a landline, but I can’t really afford a cell phone right now.”

“Really?”

She nods. “Money’s pretty tight.”

“Hm,” Levi hums, thinking. “Well, don’t piss yourself when you see my car.”

“Why would I –“

And then she see which car he just unlocked from the key in his pocket. Eren freezes. It’s a sparkling dark red Bentley convertible. She lets out a noise something between a whine and a moan. Levi laughs. “That impressed?”

“I’ve never been in a convertible before much less one this nice and expensive. Aren’t these cars supposed to be, like, completely hand crafted?”

Levi smiles. “Well are you gonna get in or just stand there?”

Eren hesitates, wondering if how poor she is will make the car crumble under her butt when she sits in it. It’s an irrational thought, but she does wonder – until she gets inside and finds it’s fine. It’s immaculate, actually. She would think it were completely new if not for the change in the cup holder, the enormous CD case on the passenger’s seat, and the briefcase she spies behind the driver’s seat.

Levi gets in and immediately puts the top down. “You can pick what we listen to,” he says, gesturing the CD case. “I’m not feeling overly picky.”

Gingerly, she unzips the case and thumbs through the pages of sleeves. She surprised out how many of them are mixes. She giggles at one in particular while Levi’s doing something on his phone. “What?” Levi asks.

“’Disney Mix’?” she asks.

Levi rolls his eyes. “I just really liked Disney as a kid, okay?”

Eren grins. “Is _Part of Your World_ on here?”

Levi looks away but Eren sees the pink on the tips of his ears when he replies, “Yes.”

Eren gasps happily. “Okay! We’re listening to it.”

Levi ejects the disk that was in there before putting the Disney one in. _Poor, Unfortunate Souls_ plays as Levi shifts into drive and they get on their way. Eren feels almost giddy in seat; hot guy, great car, nice night, what more could he even ask for?

He turns down the music a little and looks over at Levi. “Okay, I told you where Abba came from, what about your dogs?”

“My _actual_ best friend, the man of the two friends I told you live far away, rescued Saint from nearly drowning in a sewer a few years ago. Saint was only a few weeks old then and my friend has allergies so I offered to take him to a shelter but the runt grew on me before the weekend was over so I kept him.”

“What about Magic?”

Levi smiles. “She just followed me home one day.”

Eren chuckles. “So you just kept her?”

“I tracked her owners down but she didn’t want to leave me so they just told me to keep her.”

“Aside from your bleeding heart for dogs, what else should I know about you?”

“Depends how much you wanna know and whether I think I should tell you.”

“Well,” Eren thinks for a moment. “What’s your favorite color?”

“Whoa, don’t get too personal now.”

Eren makes a face. “You want me to make it personal?”

Levi snorts. “I’m only joking,” he says. “My favorite color’s white.”

“White?”

Levi nods.

“Well mine’s yellow.”

“Yellow?”

“Nice and bright. Doesn’t make me think about bad things.”

Levi doesn’t ask Eren what kind of bad things. Eren’s glad he doesn’t.

Levi suddenly makes a turn out of the city and onto the hardly traveled wooded road out of town. Eren was nervous for a moment until he notices Levi ramping up their speed significantly. “ _Bohemian Rhapsody_ is on the CD ‘Mix 8’ I think, can you put that on?” Levi asks.

“Sure thing,” Eren replies, ejecting the Disney CD and looking through the CDs for ‘Mix 8’.

“It should be track seven,” Levi says as Eren puts it in.

Eren notices immediately that the first track is _Sympathy for the Devil_. “Ooo,” he says. “Can we leave this on?”

“You like this?” Levi asks.

Eren nods. “It’s my mom’s fav –“ he pauses.

“It was your mom’s favorite?”

Eren looks out the window. “Yeah.”

Levi glances at him. “What’s with that face? Did you two have a falling out or something?”

“Something like that.”

Levi is quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry.”

Eren shrugs. “I’ve put the past behind me.”

Levi’s eyebrows furrow. “That seems harsh.”

“It’s what I had to do.”

It’s quiet between them as the song plays on. Eren closes his eyes and enjoys the feeling of the wind tossing his hair. Levi sighs.

“What?” Eren asks.

“I have a question, and feel free not to answer if you don’t want to, but like, right now you’re a girl but earlier and when I was calling to schedule for you to pick up Saint and Magic you were a boy so –“

“I was born a boy, if that’s what you’re asking,” Eren says.

“So is this just for fun or…”

Eren stares out the windshield as the world flies toward them at ninety miles an hour. “It depends,” he says. “Sometimes Eren feels masculine and sometimes Eren feels feminine, I feel like most people feel like that sometimes but I just… I don’t feel like I’m one or the other so when I go out I try to exaggerate which one I am so I don’t make other people uncomfortable.”

Levi is silent for a moment, making Eren nervous. “Is that… okay?” he asks.

Levi glances at him before looking out over the steering wheel again. “You’re fine.”

“I know it can be confusing to some people, I’m just –“

“It’s not that I’m confused, I was just thinking.”

“Thinking what?”

“That it’s a little unfair you feel like you _have_ to be one or the other to make other people comfortable.”

Eren stares at Levi.

Levi flips the song over to _Bohemian Rhapsody_.

…

Eren wakes up to Abba licking his face while his alarm clock screams at him from his bedroom. “Abba~” he whines, sitting up. “Shit, what time did I get in last night?”

He stretches and stands, going glancing at the clock. “Oh fuck!” he shouts, rushing out of his clothes from last night. “Why didn’t you wake me earlier?” he asks Abba as he throws his dress into his laundry basket.

Abba just huffs at him in response as he runs around his apartment.

He and Levi spent most of the night singing along to Levi’s enormous collection of CDs and making casual conversation. Eren smiles at the memory, he got in at around three in the morning but he can’t bring himself to be annoyed at how tired he is. He wipes off his face and dunks his whole head in the sink to wash his face and fix his hair.

He throws on an undershirt, a baggier tank top and shorts before pulling on socks and taking Abba downstairs. He puts on his roller blades and attaches Abba’s leash before leaving for his route. “Same as yesterday, okay girl?”

Armin is waiting on his front porch when Eren skates up. “There you are,” Armin says with a smile.

“How late am I?” Eren asks, taking Fluffy’s leash.

“Only five minutes,” Armin says. “But Mikasa called me so you have some explaining to do.”

Eren has to think for a moment before remembering he told Mikasa he’d call her. “Shit, I’ll be even more behind if I call her now.”

Armin shrugs. “Now that I know you’re alive, I’ll call her for you.”

“Thanks Armin!” Eren calls as he skates off again.

At Annie, Reiner, and Berthoult’s house, Reiner is sitting outside with both dogs. “Hey there,” Reiner says, wearing a big smirk.

“Hey?” Eren replies.

“I can’t believe _you_ left with someone last night,” Reiner says. “You’re usually the flirt but not the one who goes.”

Eren blushes, taking the dogs. “Well excuse me.”

Reiner laughs. “Hope you had fun at least.”

“We went for a drive.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s all.”

“That’s boring.”

“Says the guy who exclusively only sleeps with people he’s in a relationship with.”

“I’m just saying,” Reiner says, shrugging.

Eren rolls his eyes. “See you later.”

Eren goes through the rest of the first route and all of the second without any other embarrassments. It’s only when he’s on his way to Levi’s house that he starts to get nervous. Abba looks up at him with confusion. “This guy is the one I went out with last night,” he says. “And I really like him, okay?”

Abba sort of nods and keeps walking. When he gets to Levi’s door, Abba sits at his feet to wait as well. Levi comes to the door exactly like he did yesterday; soaking wet and smoking hot in nothing but a robe. “Hi,” he says sheepishly, trying not to stare at the droplet of water working down his neck.

“Afternoon,” Levi replies with a smile, handing over his dogs.

Levi’s eyes don’t leave Eren’s face. Eren feels his cheek, making sure there’s not something there. Levi laughs. “There’s nothing on your face.”

Eren’s ears heat up. “Well you were staring so…”

“I was just thinking I really like your face like this too.”

Eren’s cheeks heat up as well so he turns and starts skating. “S-see you later!” he calls behind him. Levi is chuckling as he closes the door.

Eren last route goes too quickly and suddenly he’s in front of Levi’s house again. When Levi goes to take Saint and Magic back, Magic doesn’t want to leave Eren again. “C’mon sweetie, you have to go home,” he tells her.

She whines at him so he picks her up, handing her directly to Levi. She yaps at Eren like he’s a traitor. “He’s your family, not me,” Eren says. “Sorry.”

Levi shakes his head. “Sorry about her,” he says.

“It’s fine,” Eren replies.

“So,” Levi says. “When are you going to go out with me again?”

Eren blushes. “Well,” he squeaks. “I don’t really have money to go out.”

Levi shrugs. “So, I don’t mind paying.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Dinner seems like a good place to start.”

Eren looks down at Abba who makes an affirmative noise at him. “That sounds nice,” he replies. “Well actually, are we talking McDonald’s restaurant or, like, five-star, black tie restaurant?”

“Have you been to Luciana’s before?”

Eren thinks for a moment. “No.”

“It’s this little Italian place right outside of town, not insanely popular yet but insanely delicious. Not over dressy but don’t wear jeans, okay?”

“Okay,” Eren says, smiling.

“And how does tomorrow at seven sound.”

“Perfect.”

Eren can’t hold back his grin. “See you tomorrow then.”

Levi nods. “Tomorrow.”

Eren skates off with Abba as Levi closes the door. He’s already excited.

…

“Do you have any idea how worried I was?!”

“I’m sorry.”

“I thought you might’ve been kidnapped! Or worse!”

“Sorry, Mikasa.”

“What if you’d been raped? Or murdered? What if he’d slipped something in your drink and it didn’t kick in right away? You are entirely too trusting of strangers!”

“He’s not a stranger! I walk his dogs!”

Mikasa pauses. “But I know all the people you walk for.”

“He just moved here recently. He’s friends with Ms. Hanji. We have a date tomorrow night.”

Mikasa pauses even longer this time. “A date? Like a for real date?”

“Yeah,” Eren says, his cheeks heating up. “He’s taking me out for dinner.”

Abba is laying across his lap since he’s sitting on the floor against a wall, happy Eren is petting her. “Hm,” Mikasa hums.

“You sound happy?” Eren asks.

“You haven’t gone on a date since high school.”

Eren rolls his eyes. “Don’t act like this is such a revelation, please.”

She chuckles. “Well I’m glad you’re getting out there,” she says.

“I guess,” he says and his call waiting beeps. “I’m getting another call, I’ll talk to you later okay?”

“Bye,” Mikasa says and hangs up.

“Hello?” Eren asks when the person who called comes through.

“Hey Eren!” Sasha says excitedly. “I was wondering if you wanted to come out with me tonight.”

“Where to?” he asks.

“Don’t laugh but I have to go to one of those sex stores.”

Eren freezes. “Okay,” he says. “For what exactly?”

“Well,” she drawls. “As an unmarried woman, I have certain needs that cannot always be met by my boyfriend since we don’t live together and sometimes we don’t get to meet for days a time so I need some form of supplementary object to keep my vagina happy.”

Eren sighs. “You could’ve just said you wanted to buy a vibrator.”

“Well you asked like there’s some other thing _I_ would need to buy at a store like that.”

“Alright, when are you going to be here?”

“I’m waiting outside actually.”

Eren furrows his eyebrows and goes to peek out his window. Sasha’s silver Volvo is parked outside the building. “What if I weren’t home?”

“Then I’d go see if Armin could come instead. Mikasa already said no, she was my first choice.”

Eren shakes his head. “I’ll be right down.”

“Thank you,” she says and hangs up.

Eren puts his shoes on and pats Abba’s head. “I’ll see you later girl,” he says, putting his house key and his wallet in his pocket.

He gets in Sasha’s car and she grins at him. “You’re the best Eren.”

“You’re lucky we’re friends,” he replies.

She chuckles and pulls away from the house, handing him her phone. “I just need you to read to read the directions to get there for me, my GPS has been acting up and I don’t really want to get lost.”

“Sure thing,” he replies.

The place is only about twenty-five minutes away and looks much classier than Eren expected; a brick building with a big sign outside that reads: _Fantasy Boutique_. “I heard the guy who owns this plays sells custom costumes and dresses and things,” Sasha says.

“Neat,” Eren replies. “Sex costumes?”

“Anything costumes, though I assume most of them are for sex things since he works out of this building,” she says. “The bio I read online says he’s in the business of creating fantasies, hence the name on the building.”

“But it’s also a sex shop?”

“To each their own, I suppose,” Sasha says as they get out of the car.

The inside of the building is neat as well, in the front to the left is display cases full of different toys for sale, behind that, racks with bondage gear and other specialty items including fuzzy handcuffs, edible underwear, and things like that. To the right, the small half of the store, is clothes. Costumes, corsets, different kinds of underwear, and shoes. “Welcome to Fantasy Boutique,” says the woman at the counter. She has strawberry blonde hair back in a low side bun with a clip, wearing a black dress shirt and a black pencil skirt. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“Will do,” Sasha says and leads Eren over to the cases with the toys.

She glances over a lot of them with interest. “Dude,” Eren says. “ _I_ want to try some of these.”

“Then do it,” Sasha says. “It’s not like you won’t use it if you get one.”

“I don’t have enough money for these things,” Eren says.

“Oh my god, Eren,” Sasha says. “You can spare thirty dollars for a nice vibrator, I promise you won’t lose your apartment or something.”

“I know but –“

Suddenly the door to the back of the building opens. “Hey Petra, have you seen my planner?”

Eren knows that voice.

“You left it in here,” Petra says, taking the book from under the counter. “You’re so ditsy sometimes Levi.”

Eren stares at the black haired man behind the counter. Petra sees him staring a smiles, ignorant to the reason behind the stare. “This is our owner, Mr. Ackerman.”

Levi looks up and locks eyes with Eren, the shock on his face immediate.

“Hey,” Eren says.

“Guess I’m seeing you before tomorrow,” Levi replies.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm a terrible human being. I'm so sorry I can't just keep this updated like a normal person -.-
> 
> Enjoy anyway, though, if you haven't given up on me :)

Sasha asks Petra for help with something so Eren can talk to Levi.

Only, Levi’s behavior is curious. He tries to pay attention to Eren, but he’s also buzzing around the store adjusting things. Putting things in their place Eren hadn’t noticed were off at all. Eren doesn’t comment on it, everyone has their quirks he figures, he just tries to talk to him. “I can’t believe you work here,” he says, legitimate marvel in his voice.

“Sorry you had to see this,” Levi replies, realigning the bottles of lube on one of the shelves. “If I had it my way you wouldn’t have gotten anywhere near here until we’d at least gotten past a first date.”

“I don’t mind,” Eren shrugs.

“I do,” Levi replies.

“Why? Owning a sex shop isn’t a bad thing.”

“It just leaves a bad impression.”

“I don’t think so.”

Levi shakes his head. “I don’t mean a bad impression exactly, a wrong impression is more honest.”

“But I’ve already had a first impression of you, how is working here supposed to change that?”

Levi looks at him, but he sees something he has to fix so he walks past Eren to fix whatever it is. “I’m sorry,” Levi says. “You should leave.”

“I have to wait for Sasha,” Eren replies. “She drove us.”

Levi glances over at the brunette woman. “Why’d you come with her if you don’t appear to be buying anything?”

“She didn’t want to come by herself.”

“Evidently she does want to cum by herself though,” Levi deadpans.

Eren giggles at Levi’s tone making the shorter man look at him. “What?” Eren asks.

“You laughed.”

“Sorry,” Eren chuckles. “That was funny.”

There’s something in Levi’s eyes that Eren doesn’t really recognize in the moment, but he likes it. “No,” Levi says. “Don’t apologize.”

Eren smiles at him. “Eren, I picked one, c’mon~” Sasha says.

“Be right there,” Eren says.

Levi is occupied organizing more things. “See you tomorrow,” he says absently.

“Tomorrow,” Eren replies.

…

Eren has Sasha drop him off at Armin’s house. Fluffy gets up on his lap as soon as he sits down.

“Alright, spill,” Armin says, getting comfy beside him on the couch.

“Spill what?” Eren asks.

“Who’s this guy you’ve got a date with tomorrow?”

“How do you even know about that? That’s what I came over to tell you.”

“Mikasa called.”

“Of _course_ she did.”

“So it’s that guy you left the club with last night? What’s he like? Is he handsome?”

“I…” Eren stares at his best friend’s hopeful face and his cheeks flush. “Yeah, he’s _very_ handsome.”

“Ooooo!” Armin coos excitedly. “Tell me about him! Where’s he work?”

Eren pets fluffy absently. “He’s an entrepreneur; he co-owns a bank with a friend, a toy-store with Ms. Hanji, and… uh…”

“What?” Armin asks.

“He also owns a sex shop?”

Armin blinks owlishly at him. “What’s with the questioning tone?”

“I’m practicing how I’m going to tell Mikasa because she’s already really wary about this. Unless Sasha tells her because I found out just now when I went there with her.”

“Hmm,” Armin hums. “What else can you tell me?”

“He has a Bentley. Which is _immaculate_ by the way, he keeps it very clean. And he keeps a CD of Disney music in his car.”

Armin looks confused. “Disney music?”

“Yeah.”

“The guy who owns a sex store keeps a Disney CD in his car?”

“Is that weird?”

Armin thinks for a moment. “I guess not but I wouldn’t have expected that.”

Eren pets the dog on his lap. _Wheel of Fortune_ is on, Eren thinks absently that Armin must’ve left it on after _Jeopardy!_ because he usually doesn’t like his show.

“What’s his name?” Armin asks.

A surprising warmth fills Eren’s chest and he can’t help smiling. “Levi.”

…

Armin orders the two of them a veggie pizza for dinner.

They’re only halfway done when Armin’s cell phone rings. “Uh oh,” he says.

Eren cocks an eyebrow, swallow his mouthful of Pizza. “What?”

“It’s Mikasa.”

“Shit.”

Armin answers and puts his phone on speaker. “Hey Mikasa,” he says with a smile.

“Where. Is. Eren?”

His smile falters and he chuckles slightly. “You’re on speaker, he’s right –“

“Eren!” she shouts. “You are _not_ going on that date tomorrow!”

Eren flinches. “Mikasa, calm down –“

“No, Eren, I’m not about to let _my_ brother get taken advantage of some old pervert!”

“He’s not taking advantage of me! And he’s not a… pervert, either.”

“What the hell do you call a guy who owns a porn shop then?”

“You’ve never even met him.”

“Yeah, he could be nice,” Armin chimes in.

“I don’t need you optimism right now, Armin,” Mikasa replies.

“And anyway, it’s just a date Mikasa. At a restaurant. It’s not like he’s gonna introduce me to some crazy bondage club.”

“But you _are_ into that so he _could_.”

Eren’s face goes tomato red. “Mikasa!”

Armin blushes as well. “Now _there’s_ some information I didn’t need.”

“How do you even know that?” Eren asks.

“You use my computer whenever you need to go online,” she replies. “I’ve seen your internet history and I’ll have you know I don’t approve but you can’t do what you want, I guess.”

“Then why are you telling me I can’t go out with Levi.”

“You can do anything but that.”

“So you’re saying if I picked up a straight up sugar daddy tomorrow you’d be perfectly fine as long as it wasn’t Levi, a guy who is legitimately interested in me for more than sex?”

She pauses for a moment. “Don’t put words in my mouth.”

Eren rolls his eyes and sinks into his chair. “Whatever,” he says. “Just ‘cause mom doesn’t care about me doesn’t mean you have to take her place for me. I’m an adult now, I don’t need a parent.”

Mikasa sighs. “I’m just looking out for you.”

“Then don’t just jump to conclusions about the people I want in my life.”

They’re all quiet for a minute. “So what are you going to wear?” Armin asks.

Eren’s cheeks go warm again. “I’m actually not sure.”

“Is it a jeans place or a formal place?” Mikasa asks.

Eren smiles. “Semi-formal.”

Armin gasps. “You should wear that green dress Annie and Reiner got you for your last birthday.”

“Yeah,” Mikasa says. “That one really brings out your eyes.”

“Oh jeez,” Eren says.

“I bet he likes your eyes,” Armin says, smiling dreamily.

…

Eren cuddles on the couch with Abba when he gets home that night. All the windows are open and he has a fan blowing while he’s dressed only in a tank top and shorts. He sighs. Abba leans up and licks his chin.

“I’m alright, girl,” he says, petting her. “I was just thinking.”

She lays her head back on his lap and stares up at him questioningly.

“I mean,” he says. “I’m not a very good person, Abba. I’m not really good enough for Levi, I think.”

He stares at the dress he’s wearing on their date tomorrow, hanging on his bedroom door. It’s pale green with a scoop neck, cap sleeves, and a full, circle skirt. It’s cute. But he’s worried about not being good enough.

His shitty past still looms behind him, stalking him, making him worry about his every step. He’s worried Levi will see it and hate him for it. What would he do if Levi rejected him? What if he…

Abba looks up at him with concern. He pets her more. “I’m alright.” She licks his hand. “I won’t abandon you.”

She makes him go to bed after that.

…

Eren doesn’t have to walk on Saturdays, so he and Abba stay in bed that morning. He sighs and flops back on the bed after he takes her out to go to the bathroom. “I hope this mood passes soon,” he mutters, hugging a pillow.

Abba licks his ankle encouragingly.

“I just feel icky in my head,” he tells her. “Do you think I should try to get money together to see a therapist?”

He looks up at the ceiling. “We’d have to cut back on food though. Or give up electricity for a while. I’d rather not live with someone else unless we absolutely have to.”

Eren sighs and gets back up. “Do you want breakfast now?”

Abba wags her tail so he walks her to the kitchen and gives her her food. He eats a handful of grapes and a couple crackers but that’s it. He’s not very hungry. He kind of just feels like sleeping but he’s not all that tired.

It feels like a stupidly long day until he feels like it’s a good time to start getting dressed.

Shower first, then hair. Abba nips at her fingers while she stares at her reflection. “No,” she says. “I’m going, okay? Don’t worry.”

She stands back up to look between her mismatched eyes before putting her contact in. She does her makeup quickly and puts on her dress, all with Abba sitting on the floor watching her closely. Abba whines so Eren sighs and kneels beside her. “It’s all alright, okay? I’ll be home soon.”

She gets back up and looks for her pink flats. She’s wearing pink jewelry and carrying a pink rose shaped purse to go with them. She takes a deep breath in front of her reflection, willing the heavy feeling she’s been carrying all day away.

There’s a knock on her door. “Coming!” she calls.

Abba gets to the door first. When Eren opens the door, her ears go hot. She wonders when she’ll stop being embarrassed every time she sees Levi. “Ready to go?” Levi asks, smiling slightly.

She feels her stomach flip over from excitement. “Absolutely.”

Abba wags her tail and looks up at Levi. Levi pets her once. “I’ll bring your mommy home safe, I promise.”

Eren smiles and grabs her purse. “Be home soon Abba.”

With that, they leave. “You look beautiful,” Levi says, opening the passenger’s side door for Eren.

“Thank you,” she replies as he closes the door.

Levi gets in the driver’s seat. “It’s about twenty-five minutes away, alright?”

“Okay.”

Levi pulls away from Eren’s house. “So, what did you do with your day off?”

Eren makes a face, wringing her hands together nervously. “Not much,” she replies. “Mostly just laid around.”

“Felt like being lazy?”

“Sotra,” Eren says. “I was feeling really unmotivated today.”

“Hate when that happens.”

When Eren finally gets the nerve to look up at Levi again, her cheeks go pink because he looks really sexy in profile too. Especially with the way he has his hair is gelled back tonight. She knots her fingers together in her lap, she can’t remember the last time she felt like this.

It’s like her mood from earlier never happened, replaced by giddiness and butterflies.

“What do you do for fun when you’re not feeling unmotivated?”

Eren actually has to think about that for a minute. “Well,” she drawls. “I used to dance in high school so sometimes I do that, sometimes I go play with Abba.”

“Anything else?”

“I mean, sometimes I shop or eat but I don’t do much.”

“Okay, what TV shows do you like?”

Her gaze travels back to her lap. “I don’t have a TV.”

“Are you one of those people who thinks TV just rots your brain?”

“Well yes, but I’d have one if I could afford one.”

Levi eyebrows furrow. “No TV, no cell phone, where does your money –“

“What do you like to do?”

Levi pauses and glances at Eren, but lets the subject drop. “Since you already know I own a toy store it’s probably safe to tell you I have a collection of toys I can never use.”

Eren blushes. “Really?”

“Half of my basement is very nearly decorated with them.”

“What kinds of toys?”

Levi shrugs. “Anything that looks cool. I would say like have of them are glass.”

Eren shivers at that. Levi cocks an eyebrow at her. “What?” she asks.

“You were shaking.”

“I shivered.”

“You shivered.”

Eren shrugs. “I’ve never used glass toys before.”

“Interested?”

“Kinda.”

“I can show you everything, if you’d like.”

Eren smiles into her lap and can’t stop the giggle that sneaks out.

Levi shoots her a look. “What?”

“I was just thinking about what I said to my sister yesterday.”

“What’d you say?”

“She was nervous about me going out with you so I said, ‘It’s not like he’s going to introduce me to some crazy bondage club’, but you just offered to show me your toy collection. I just thought it was funny.”

Levi chuckles slightly. “No, my basement isn’t quite a bondage club,” he says.

“She said she wouldn’t have put it past me to agree to something like that though.”

“Why? Are you into that?”

Eren shrugs. “I’ve dabbled in it, nothing serious though.”

Levi shifts one of his legs, Eren thinks she sees some extra movement around his crotch area. She feels the heat from her face spread down her chest.

“So what else do you like to do?” she ask.

Levi shrugs. “Train my dogs, clean, I don’t watch a whole lot of TV either.”

“Cleaning?”

Levi makes a face like he didn’t mean to say that. “Yeah, I’m big on neatness.”

“Not a bad quality,” Eren says.

“You have no idea.”

Eren smiles slightly as they pull into the parking lot. It’s small but quaint. Eren lets herself out of the car and her stomach growls at the smells coming from inside. “It already smells so good,” she coos excitedly.

Levi smiles and rests a hand at the small of her back to lead her inside. “Let’s go then.”

“Yo,” calls a voice when they walk inside.

“Hey Nile,” Levi says, an edge of annoyance to his voice. “We have a reservation.”

The man smirks at that playfully. “Don’t look so disappointed to see me,” the man says.

Levi rolls his eyes. “I’m not disappointed, Nile, I just thought Erwin told me you weren’t working tonight.”

“Our hostess called out sick so I had to come in.”

“Just take us to our damn table.”

Nile smiles more genuinely at Eren. “Follow me, please.”

Eren and Levi sit down. Nile clears his throat. “Your server will be with your shortly.”

“Who was that?” Eren asks when Nile walks away.

“A guy Erwin and I have known for forever. We went to college together but he dropped out halfway through our second year.”

“Why?”

“He was a kiss-up who had poor time management skills.”

Eren chuckles, perusing the menu.

“Good evening,” a female voice chimes. “I’m Chelsea and I’ll be your server. Can I start you off with something to drink?”

Levi looks at Eren to go first. “Water please,” she says.

Levi makes a face at her. “Seriously?”

She nods. “I’m not a big drink person.”

“No wine though?”

Eren considers that for a moment but shakes her head. “No, thank you.”

Levi shrugs. “Water too, please.”

She jots that down on her notepad. “Are you ready to order or do you need a minute?”

“I need some time, please,” Eren says.

“I’ll be back shortly then.”

Both of them look at their menus. “What’s good?” Eren asks.

“Well,” Levi replies. “That depends what you like. They make the best chicken parmesan I’ve ever had.”

Eren makes a face. “I don’t eat meat.”

Levi looks at him. “I should’ve asked you that before, I’m sorry.”

“It’s no big deal,” Eren replies. “I still eat cheese and stuff so it’s fine.”

“Still,” Levi says.

“So what’s good without meat?” Eren asks.

“Their mushroom alfredo is excellent.”

“Oh, that sounds good.”

Levi looks at the menu some more. “Do you eat seafood?”

“Very little, if any,” Eren replies.

“What kind do you eat?”

“Mussels, clams, scallops, and salmon.”

“Have you ever tried calamari?”

Eren shakes his head. “That’s squid, right?”

Levi nods as the waitress walks back up, setting their glasses on the table. “Are you ready to order?”

“Yes,” Levi says, closing his menu. “I’d like to have an appetizer put in.”

“Okay,” she replies. “What would do you want?”

“Calamari, please?”

She write that down. “Okay, and for your meals?”

“Mushroom alfredo, please,” Eren says.

“Chicken parmesan for me, please.”

“Alright,” the waitress says. “Your appetizer will be out shortly.”

Eren looks at Levi. “Okay, I have to ask, what’s it like owning a toy store?”

Levi shrugs. “Nothing special,” he replies. “I get invited to a lot of events though.”

“Events?”

“Like swinger parties and BDSM meet ups,” Levi replies. “I’m never all that interested because, to be perfectly honest, doing those sorts of things with people I don’t know just seems weird.”

Eren nods. “Sasha told me that the owner made all the costumes in the other half of the store. That would be you right?”

Levi nods.

“What’s that about?”

Levi makes a thinking face. “Well, I originally wanted to go into fashion,” he says. “But the first few classes I took, the people drove me crazy so I switched to business instead and kept making things as a hobby.”

“Hmm,” Eren hums.

Levi smiles. “What?”

“I like your eyes.”

“Yours are much prettier.” Eren looks down at the mention of her eyes. “What?”

“Nothing,” Eren replies, finding something else to look at.

Levi lets that drop. “You said you danced in high school, right?”

“Yes,” Eren replies. “I danced from when I was three until my junior year of high school.”

Levi makes a face. “Why’d you stop your junior year?”

Eren shrugs. “Had to. My dad didn’t like that I was a dancer to begin with but when I was a junior, I wore all the girls’ costumes for our recital and he had it.”

“What a jerk.”

Eren chuckles mirthlessly. “I felt more beautiful that day than I have any other day of my entire life,” she says. “My friends helped me gel my hair back and gave me a hairpiece to wear so my hair could look like theirs.” Eren notices a slight look in Levi’s eyes, like he suddenly remembered something, but he ignores it. “My instructor helped me sew pads into the top of my costumes so it would look like I had breasts even though they were still super tiny. I was just _so_ happy.”

“And you’re dad couldn’t see that?”

Eren thinks absently that she _really_ shouldn’t be telling anyone about this. “He didn’t care. _No son of mine will be wasting money just so he can play dress up_ , that’s what he said to me.”

“Dick.”

Eren sighs. “He was a good dad,” she says.

“But he –“

“He’s closed-minded and it hurts me to be around him, but he’s generally a good guy; gives to charities, took in my sister when her parents died. He took good care of us.”

“Good people aren’t assholes to their kids about who they want to be.”

Eren sighs. “I was lucky,” she says. “I have friends who had it ten times worse than I did as far as parents go.”

Levi shakes his head. “Still though, you would’ve made a beautiful dancer.”

Eren blushes. “I dunno, I was a little gangly.”

“Most teenagers are gangly. What kind of dance did you do?”

“I took all the classes my school offered,” Eren says with a grin. “Hip hop, tap, ballet; I even took a few ballroom classes. I think ballet was my favorite to perform though.”

“Really.”

“Pointe shoes are in no way comfortable but it just _felt_ … awesome. Our instructors would record our classes sometimes and the only times I didn’t hate watching myself were when I was doing ballet.”

Levi smiles at the excited look on his date’s face. “Do you practice that kind of dance now?”

Eren makes a face. “I still stretch most days,” she says. “But I can only practice what I remember, you know? I can’t even afford new shoes much less to install a space at my house where I can do legitimate practice.”

Levi frowns. “That sucks.”

Eren nods as the waitress comes by with their calamari. Levi smiles at Eren. “Alright,” he says. “I dare you to tell me you don’t like this.”

“Do I get a present if I like it?”

Levi makes a thinking face. “Maybe.”

Eren smiles and spears some with her fork. “I’m trusting you with this.”

“I promise you’ll love it.”

She does.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's really been forever since I've updated this. I have no good excuses.  
> I'm so sorry T.T

Eren finds it’s incredibly liberating not needing to worry about explaining to a date that she does not, in fact, possess a vagina. That said, she’s feeling a different kind of uncertainty now.

Does she wanna have sex with Levi on a first date?

Would he be into that? How will it make her look if he isn’t?

She thinks it might be a good sign that they are on their way to Levi’s place, at least. Chatting idly about how good dinner was. Eren tugs at the bottom hem of her dress, trying to keep herself busy so she doesn’t stare at Levi too much.

Levi gets annoyed with her jittery behavior and takes her hand, holding it while keeping his other on the wheel. She blushes, staring at their clasped fingers. “Um… thank you, for taking me out tonight.”

“My pleasure,” he replies. “I enjoy your company.”

She watches out the window absently. “Could we stop at my place on the way to yours so I can let Abba out to pee?”

“She can come with us if you bring a blanket so she doesn’t get hair on my backseat.”

Eren cocks an eyebrow. “Is that your way of asking me to stay the night?”

Levi shrugs but Eren sees the tip of his ear turn a little pink. They pull up outside of Eren’s house and Eren looks over at Levi. “You can come in if you want, I’m just gonna put an overnight bag together since we’re here.”

Levi nods and turns off the car, getting out. Eren leads the way upstairs and unlocks the door. Abba happily bounds over to the door when they walk inside. Eren smiles and kneels, petting her. “Hey girl, do you wanna come to Levi’s house with me?”

Abba looks up at Levi, only now noticing his presence. “Hey,” Levi says, waving at her.

Eren gets up. “Okay, I’m going to get my stuff. You can help yourself to a drink if you want one, the kitchen’s over there.”

Abba follows Eren so Levi looks around the small space. “This is nice,” he says.

Eren chuckles, picking an outfit to put on in the morning. “I guess,” she replies. “There’s no heat or air-conditioning but it’s pretty comfortable for the two of us.”

“Not even one of those air conditioners you install in a window or a space heater?”

“Nope,” she replies, throwing her toiletries in a bag.

Levi walks toward the room where Eren is and leans in the doorway. “You seem to be having a _lot_ of trouble with money,” he says, crossing his arms.

“I’m handling it,” Eren replies, looking over at him.

“Have you asked anyone for help? Like your parents or someone?”

Eren looks toward the floor, fiddling her fingers. “It’s kind of because of my parents that I’m in trouble.” Levi opens his mouth to reply but Eren looks up and cuts him off. “But I don’t want you to pity me, okay? How much money I have or don’t have doesn’t matter, I just want to have a nice night if that’s okay.”

Levi pauses at the earnest look on Eren’s face. He gives a soft smile. “We should get going,” he says.

Eren zips up her bag and throws it over her shoulder. “I’m ready.”

Eren puts Abba’s leash on and grabs a blanket from the closet to throw in Levi’s backseat for her. When they go back outside, Eren lays it down carefully before letting Abba inside. When he climbs in the passenger’s seat, he looks back at her. “It won’t be a long ride, okay girl?”

Abba just wags her tail and looks around as Levi starts the car. “Anyway,” Levi says, as they pull away from Eren’s house. “Do you still want to see my collection when we get to my place?”

Eren’s face heats up again. “Yes I do.”

Levi smirks. “Can’t wait.”

Eren crosses her legs to ease the sudden warmth between her legs. As soon as they pull into Levi’s driveway, Abba is excitedly trying to get out of the car. “Chill out for a second Abba,” Eren says as Levi parks them in the garage.

Her tail is wagging a mile a minute when Eren finally lets her out of the car. Levi lets them inside and says, “Please take your shoes off before walking on the carpet.”

Eren smiles. “Dogs can’t take their shoes off you know.”

Levi makes a face. “It drives me nuts, actually. But I’m going to keep as much dirt out as possible.

As soon as they’re inside, Magic is on them in a minute, yipping and circling them. “Yeah, yeah,” Levi says, giving her a pat on the head. “I know I’m home too.”

She excitedly goes up to Eren so she picks her up and cuddles her for a moment. “Hi there,” she says with a smile.

Magic licks her cheek and Eren puts her back down. “Where’s Saint?” she asks, looking around.

Levi walks further inside and glances around the corner into the living room. “In there, he doesn’t usually bothering getting up if it’s just me.”

Abba trots over to greet Saint while Eren adjusts her bag on her shoulder. “Where can I leave this?” she asks Levi.

Levi takes it from her. “I’ll go put it in my room for you, you can wait here if you want.”

Eren kneels to pet Magic while Levi runs upstairs. “Oh, you’re such a sweet girl,” she coos.

Magic rolls onto her back so Eren rubs her tummy, smiling. Abba makes a disgruntled noise and walks over, butting Eren with her nose. Eren chuckles and pats Abba’s head. “Don’t worry, you’re still my girl. I’m not replacing you.”

Saint isn’t far behind, head-butting Eren’s shoulder but waiting more patiently than Abba. Levi comes back down and snorts at Eren surrounded with dogs on the floor. “I can leave you all alone if you want,” he says with a smirk.

Eren looks over at Levi and stands up. “No, that’s alright.”

Levi walks over. “Ready?”

Eren nods. Levi leads him over to the door leading downstairs. He opens it and lets Eren walk in first. Eren feels slight nerves nip at her stomach as they move down the stairs and when they get to the bottom her eyes widen slightly. “Wow.”

“Feel like you’re in Fifty Shades of Grey yet?” Levi says, sliding his hands in his pockets.

“Not quite,” she replies, walking in to get a closer look. “There’s less gear here than toys.” The room is pretty big, broken up only by support beams and two doors on one of the walls. The only furniture is a plush looking couch pushed up against one wall and a table with no chairs centered on one side of the room. The entire back wall of the room has a top to bottom _display_ of different toys and things, like they’re more like decorations than things someone should be using. It’s mostly different kinds of dildos and vibrators, but there are other things too; a handful of interesting looking floggers, some ball gags, a few pairs of nipple clamps, among other things. “Plus, I’m not an idiot like Anastasia and I think you might have a clearer idea of the rules than Christian.”

Levi snorts, walking over as well. “I’m glad this didn’t scare you off.”

Eren smiles. “Has that happened before?”

“Every time. A lot of people think these kinds of things are a little scary. It seems like my friends are the only people who don’t mind my hobby.”

Eren’s eyes scan the wall some more when she sees a set of very, _very_ strangely shaped dildos. “What are these?” she kneels to get a better look.

Levi bites the inside of his cheek. “Dragon dildos.”

Eren cocks an eyebrow, letting a giggle escape. “For real?”

Levi shrugs. “I’ve never used any of them, I mostly just think they look really interesting. Nice colors and all.”

“They’re smaller than I’d heard they were.”

“You can get them in different sizes; the biggest ones are the infamous monsters everyone talks about.”

“What’s this tube-y thing on this one?”

“A cum tube.”

Eren laughs. “A cum tube?”

“The website sells lube that looks like cum and you load it up into that syringe thing and it looks like the dildo is ejaculating.”

Eren can’t keep the grin of her face. “That’s amazing,” she says, getting back up. “Now where are those glass ones you told me about?”

Levi takes her hand and guides her down the wall to the far end. “They’re all over here.”

Eren bites her lip as she eyes them all. “It’s almost like they’re art.” She picks up one with colored glass inside that looks like a flower. “This one’s really cool.”

“That one is one of my favorites.”

She puts it back down carefully and walks up and down the wall again. Levi watches her curiously. “How rude of me, I just realized I haven’t kissed you yet,” he says.

Eren smiles slightly, turning to look at him and clasping her hands behind her back. “How about we do that first then?”

Acceptance is a funny thing, Eren thinks. She doesn’t let herself expect it from others anymore, but she always seems to feel her heart spill over when she can get it. She thinks Levi must be feeling something like that too because the longer they’re down here and she’s not having a negative reaction, the more relaxed Levi seems.

Levi walks over and rests one of his hands on Eren’s hip, leaning up so their faces are inches apart. “I probably should’ve chewed some gum or something before this,” he says with a chuckle.

“Don’t worry,” she replies with a smile. “I won’t judge.”

Levi leans that extra little bit and their lips touch for the first time. It is gentle, barely a brush of skin on skin, but still a thrilled shiver runs down Eren’s spine anyway. She’s grinning as Levi pulls away. She wraps her arms around his shoulders and pulls him into another kiss, less gentle but no less thrilling. When Eren pulls back, Levi’s eyes look half dazed.

“It’s been a while since you did that, huh?” Eren asks.

Levi shrugs, the tips of his ears turning pink. “Not really.”

Eren giggles, stepping back to look around some more. “Hey Levi?”

“Hm?”

“Are you into rope bondage?”

Levi sputters, making a face. “Yeah, why?”

Eren looks at him, smiling at how sort of embarrassed he looks. “Cause I think it looks cool but I’ve never gotten to try it.”

“I don’t think we should do something like that right away if that’s –“

“Huh? No. I don’t wanna dive into anything like that right away.”

Levi’s shoulder relax slightly. “What do you want to do, then?”

Eren cocks her head to the side slightly, thinking, before walking back over to Levi. “Well, I’d like to see your bedroom, for one.”

“No toys?”

Eren shakes her head. “Not yet.”

Levi walks back over to the stairs. “Wanna go back up now?”

“Sure, lead the way.”

They go back up the stairs and are confused not to find the dogs waiting for them. “Where’d they go?” Eren asks, glancing around.

Levi walks over to the living room and snorts. “I think they’re all friends.”

Eren peeks past them to see Abba lying beside Saint with Magic asleep between the two of them. The whole trio squeezed onto Saint’s dog bed together. “Yeah, they might be,” Eren replies.

Levi smirks. “Do you want anything from the kitchen before we go upstairs?”

“No, thank you.”

Levi nods and leads Eren upstairs. All the doors in the hallway are closed so Eren can’t see what’s what until Levi opens the door to his bedroom. Eren’s eyes widen slightly. “This is pretty nice for a bachelor’s bedroom,” she says.

Levi rolls his eyes. “I had one of my friends decorate for me.”

The walls are all painted a chocolatey brown. An enormous four-poster bed is centered against the wall with velvety red curtains draped over the posts. A plush brown comforter covers the bed with red pillows decorating it. The only other furniture is a pair of nightstands, a dresser, and a comfy looking red chair in the corner. The closet doors are closed but the door to the connected bathroom is open. “I can tell,” Eren says.

There’s a painting on the wall across from the bed. Eren stares at it with fascination. “One of my friends painted that for me a few years ago,” says as he sits on the edge of the bed.

“It’s nice.”

“She says she just wants us to stay cultured.”

Eren giggles. “Red velvet cake is very cultured.”

Levi smiles. “She tries.”

Eren walks over and stands between Levi’s legs. “So…” she says.

Levi rests his hands on her hips. “So?”

Eren leans down for a kiss when Levi’s phone goes off. Levi makes a face. “Seriously?”

“You can answer it if you want,” Eren says. “I can wait.”

Levi frowns but doesn’t look at his phone as she hits the answer button. “Yeah?” he asks. He waits a second, confusion stark on his face. “Who is this?” Levi looks at Eren. “Do you know a Mikasa?”

Eren cocks an eyebrow. “That’s my sister.”

“She wants to talk to you,” Levi says, holding his phone out.

Eren takes the phone hesitantly. “Mikasa?” she asks.

“Eren, mom and dad called. They’re on their way to come visit us.”

Eren feels all the blood drain from his face. “What?”

“Mom said she tried to call you yesterday but maybe you were still with Armin then or something, I don’t know but they’ll be here early tomorrow morning.”

Eren starts pacing, biting her thumbnail anxiously. “What should I do? I don’t know what to do?”

“I can meet you at your place if you need help cleaning up or something.”

“I’m gonna need someone to watch Abba for me too.” Eren runs a hand through her hair. “I’ll meet you back at my place.”

“See you.”

She hangs up and hands Levi his phone back. “I have to go,” she says.

“What’s going on?” Levi asks, dropping his phone on the bed.

“I just, my parents are coming to visit so I have to be home when they get here.”

“Why do you need someone to watch Abba then?”

She shakes her head, picking up her bag from where Levi left it. “They can’t stand dogs,” she says. “Man, I’m gonna spend all night scrubbing my house top to bottom.”

Levi stands up, biting his lip. “I can watch her for you, if you really need someone.”

Eren looks up at him. “That would be great, actually, thank you.”

“Come on, I’ll drive you home.”

When they get downstairs, Eren goes straight over to Abba. “I need you to stay the night here, okay girl?” she coos, giving Abba a hug and petting her. “I promise I’ll come get you as soon as I can.”

Levi is waiting by the door with his keys. Eren follows and shoves on her shoes quickly. “I’m so sorry about this,” she says.

“I just hope everything’s alright,” Levi replies.

Eren takes a deep breath when they get in the car. “I… I’ll explain everything the next time I see you, I promise.”

Levi nods and the ride back to Eren’s house feels ways too short. She gives him a short peck on the cheek. “See you later.”

Levi nods and watches as she runs up into the house and away from him.

…

When Mikasa gets there, Eren is frantically trying to hide all of Abba’s things. It takes her a moment to realize he’s only half dressed and his makeup isn’t completely rinsed off. “Eren?”

He looks up from putting Abba’s toys in a bag, a frown curls across his face immediately. “I just wanted to have a nice night, Mikasa,” he says, his voice sounding broken. “But now… and Levi…”

Mikasa walks over and takes Eren’s hand, squeezing it supportively. “Let’s just get through tomorrow,” she says. “I can help you talk to Levi when they’re gone, if you want.”

Eren rubs his eyes as tears threaten to well up. “I need more notice than this,” he says. “Why didn’t they call _you_ until tonight?”

“Mom said after you didn’t answer they thought they could just surprise you. They called me when they were getting ready to leave the house.”

Eren shakes his head. “Why do they have to come at all?”

Mikasa sighs. “I’ll keep cleaning, you go finish washing up and put clothes on.”

Eren nods and goes to the bathroom to take a quick shower. He’s a little paranoid that if he doesn’t shower his parents might be able to smell the remnants of his perfume. He scrubs his skin, so sure they’ll just know about Abba and Levi and the whole life he’s sculpted here.

He gets out with his arms stinging from being so raw and wraps a towel around himself. Since he’s already in the bathroom he gets to work hiding any and all bottles and containers full of products and perfume made for women. He shoves them into the backs of the cabinets and puts other stuff in the front to hide them as much as he can. The only things he leaves out on the counter are a bottle of hand soap, his toothpaste, his toothbrush, and the spare toothbrush he keeps around for if Mikasa wants to stay over.

He does a quick sweep of the medicine cabinet to make sure nothing looks suspicious and goes to his room to put on pajamas. After dressing he strips his bed and throws everything into his laundry basket. He’ll have to make a late visit to the laundromat so his bedding doesn’t smell like Abba. Mikasa is vacuuming the couch cushions when Eren brings out his laundry to leave by the door. “Can I hide Abba’s stuff in your trunk?” Eren asks.

“That’s fine,” Mikasa says, turning off the vacuum.

Eren goes to the kitchen and collects all of Abba’s food to take out to Mikasa’s car. “This is ridiculous,” Mikasa says, getting ready to take the throw rugs out to beat the dust and hair out of them.

“I’m sorry,” Eren replies.

“Not you,” Mikasa says. “I understand what you’re doing. What I don’t understand is mom and dad.”

Eren shrugs. “I wish I did.”

It’s past two in the morning by the time everything is ready. Mikasa takes a deep breath but Eren knows he won’t relax until Abba’s home again. “Thank you, Mikasa.”

Mikasa pulls her brother into a hug. “Try and get some sleep. I’ll see you later.”

Eren waves as she drives off, really not wanting to go back inside alone. It doesn’t feel like home without his best friend or even his own things out where they’re supposed to be.

He crawls in bed by himself that night, a much different ending than the one he was expecting when he was with Levi earlier.


End file.
